Growing up, it wasn't uncommon for us, as sisters to argue, have a fight, break up and make up, for like a gazillion times. But as time goes by, I was surprised on how much change my sister actually becomes. Once, living so glamorous after she won the fifth medal at the infamous "Miss Indonesia" beauty pageant back home in 2009, now she lives a humble yet more meaningful life with her little family here in Tokyo, Japan.
Together with her super cute two years old, my nephew, Abreve, we had an hour or so breakfast at my apartment reminiscing the golden old days and mainly fixing my travel schedules and destinations. Meanwhile, my husband just could not stop playing and teasing Abreve, bursting out all his giddiness, giggling and laughing out loud till his gut hurts.
Today's destination is the famous Meiji temple, or Meiji Jingu as the locals know it. My husband had made an appointment with his colleague who live and work in Tokyo, T. He would be our tour guide for the day.
He picked us right on time in front of our apartment. After breakfast, we drove to Meiji Jingu, a quaint traditional shrine complex, and arrived there just before 10 AM. That was the perfect arrival timing as the place was not that crowded.
A little history about the place: during the reign of Meiji, the Japanese experienced the enlightened era where Western knowledge was largely spread out, absorbed, studied and adopted. Relationships between Japan and the outside world blossomed. This is showcased and symbolised by the string of wine barrels sent by the French and placed immaculately at the shrine's gate as a token of friendship between the two nations.
The shrine complex is peaceful and surrounded by huge leafy trees which somehow isolate it from the razzle-dazzle of a bustling city. The silence, tranquil and serene life will surely lift your spirit up. You will forget about all the things that worry you to the bone and enjoy that stroll and fresh crisp air.
Not only serene, the shrine is also sacred and has been used as a Shinto wedding ceremony venue for years. It has become their old-age tradition. We were lucky that we could witness how that tradition was being held. At a traditional Japanese Shinto wedding, the groom wore a black and grey kimono whilst the bride wore an all-white kimono covered by an all-white cape. Walking to the shrine, they were paraded by families, friends and Shinto priests. Though celebrated in a close-knit way, the ceremony still looked very charming indeed.
A few meters from the main shrine, there lies a wishing tree. Many people wrote their wishes on a wooden board and hang it on the tree. From health to letting go of the past, the tree surely has a lot of wishes to grant.
We finish our walk by a break at a food-court building near the exit gate. It's a good pit-stop point to re-charge. The foods they served were delicious. But, don't fill your tummy to the fullest. Tokyo has so many delicacies to offer for the decadent foodies. So, spare some space in your tummy for delicious coffee and snacking time.
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I felt the urge to do my "wee" time as soon as I arrived at a mall in Akihabara. There was a weird but amazement feeling inside as I listened carefully to the sound of bird chirping coming out of something in the toilet. Not only that, the bidet gives me an option of cold or warm water for washing purposes and I did not need to push the flush as it was all done automatically. Even the scent in the toilet was so soothing. What is it with the Japanese toilet, said I to myself. Somehow I felt like I wasn't in a restroom.
The sunny and mildly cold weather in Akihabara makes it the perfect time to roam on and about this crowded centre of electronic shops. I am not a big fan of technology. But, looking at the bright colourful and glittery outlook of the shops I could not resist not to have a sneak peek.
We went inside the Yodobashi store where we found so many ranges of electronics. This is a one-stop shopping mall selling computers, games, watches and cameras. Don't worry about the tax, cause they sell tax free items (plus the international models too).
I continued strolling the area after going up and down the floors at Yodobashi. During my stroll, I was intrigued by some girls wearing french-maid customes greeting hello inside a cafe. Apparently, this cafe is called Maid Cafes where you'll be served by these girls who will also play games with you. It may sounds bizzare at first, but not to worry they will treat you with good respect and care. And trust me no "ahem" stuffs involved in this establishment. Yep, ya kno wot I mean. ;)
T, then took us to a shop full of games. From a nintendo machine of the '90s to the latest version of games, they have them all. My husband was so thrilled beyond imagination as he found his favourite childhood game right in this place. This game shop was our last stop in Akihabara before going elsewhere for dinner.
Just as we thought we had seen all the attractions, there was another interesting fact about the place. Apart from the french-maid dressing girls, there were also girls wearing Sailor Moon costumes. Sailor Moon is the famous Japanese anime tv series that I watched when I was a kid. I asked T why these girls had a male company walking around the area and holding their hands.
Turned out that they are the escort girls. But, their clienteles are not the common womanizer men with cheesy pick-up lines we usually find back home. They are the geeks who spend most of their time with their computers instead of interacting with people from the real or offline world. Many of these guys are extremely shy. Due to the lack of social interaction, somehow it becomes super difficult for them to talk to girls (let alone approach them). Hence, the Sailor moon girls come in handy. I guess in this case technology somehow cannot replace the traditional ways of doing things.
Despite this revelation of the other aspects in Japanese culture, in a nutshell, Akihabara is still a trully interesting place to visit. Rest-assured it is a haven for electronic enthusiasts and die-hard gamers. So, make sure you don't miss this out when you visit Tokyo.
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